Pascal's
wager, simply put, claims that an infinite "prize" easily warrants a
finite wager. Before I elaborate upon this wager I would like to acquaint you
with it's highly regarded proponent.

Blaise Pascal is universally recognized as one of the most brilliant men of
the modern era; an accomplished mathematician, physicist and philosopher. His
life and thought were so intimately commingled that, according to his
contemporaries, the witness of the man is no less significant than the message
of his work.

Born in the French town of Clermont-en-Auvergne (200 miles southeast of
Paris) on June 19, 1623, Blaise was raised by his father Etienne, a
mathematician of genuine ability and magistrate of Clermont-Ferrand, since his
mother died when he was only three years old. At the age of eight he moved to
Paris with his father and two sisters, Gilberte and Jacqeline.

In 1639, at the age of 16, Blaise wrote his first widely acclaimed
mathematical treatise, on the properties of conic sections. In 1642, proving his
competence in technical matters as well as in pure science, he constructed the
first digital calculating machine; the predecessor of our modern calculators and
computers and for which he is remembered by the computer language which bears
his name.

From 1640 to 1646 Blaise lived in Rouen with his father who was appointed by
Richelieu as administrator of that region. Though born and raised Catholic, it
was in 1646 at the age of 23, that Blaise became a convert. The necessity of
conversion—abandonment of the world and submission to God—became the
foundation for the life and work of Blaise Pascal. The experience made him
realize that his intellectual ability caused him to relish one of the most
dangerous worldly enticements—fame—and he resolved forthwith to abandon the
sciences.

Blaise embarked upon a life of religious devotion and strict austerity yet
his resolution was not immediately reduced to practice. He continued his
research, plunging into Physics, and through some ingenious experiments he
demonstrated the existence of the vacuum and the weight of air. Simultaneously
he advanced the principles of a truly modern scientific philosophy based on
primary reliance upon the experiment. Thus Pascal completed the break between
true science and metaphysics.

In 1647, stricken by serious illness, Blaise returned to Paris. Upon the
advice of his doctors he relaxed his religious discipline and, though not
abandoning faith and devotion, began to frequent the world. Friendships
developed with other young men and Blaise became familiar with the emancipated
"free-thinker" mentality which provided the background for his later
apologetic writings. Also during this period he became convinced that the
science of man was of far greater importance than the science of things.

In Paris Blaise continued his mathematical labors and laid the groundwork for
what would become the calculus of probabilities. He also helped to introduce the
horse-drawn omnibus which is the predecessor of our modern motor bus and he
added much to the science of hypsometry, or the precise measurement of
altitudes, which is essential to modern meteorology. Most important, his work in
physics resulted in the publication (1653) of what would become Pascal's Law;
the foundation for hydrostatics and fluid mechanics and the basis for
applications such as the hydraulic press, lift and brakes as well as the
syringe.

Yet neither science nor the world could satisfy this soul so enamored of the
absolute. In 1654 his sister Jacqueline, who had become a religious in the
convent at Port-Royal and whom he had helped convert years earlier, privately
heard him confess his confusion and understood immediately that Blaise had
become a convert for the 2nd time. His famous and brilliantly written Memorial
recalls the intense religious experience that resulted during the night of Nov.
23, 1654, in his revelation of the living God. Subsequently Pascal remained
intimately linked with the theologians and recluses of Port-Royal.

At the same time, Blaise kept correspondence with his fashionable and worldly
friends in Paris, trying to convert them to his religious views... a task at
which he succeeded more than once. Some of his remarkable efforts resulted in
the publication of Lettres Provinciales (1656-57) in which Pascal displayed his
skill as a philosopher and demonstrated the devastating effectiveness of
simplicity informed by intelligence and wit. Through this correspondence he also
conceived and began his project of an apologetic for the Catholic faith, to be
directed towards converting unbelievers.

Though he had given up science after his 2nd conversion in 1654, he returned
to this work in 1657, convinced by friends that the publication of another
worthwhile discovery would add weight to the arguments of his apologetic. Thus
in 1658 his investigations on the cycloid (roulette) were published, providing
the foundation for differential and integral calculus as well as probability
theory; one of the most important fields in mathematics. Immediately afterwards
he withdrew from all "lay" activity, devoting himself to prayer and
the completion of his apologetic writings.

In 1659 his illness returned for good and rendered him capable only of one
last, short writing, a "Prayer asking God to make good use of his
illness", in which he expressed an ardent desire for a conversion still
more perfect. Amidst the suffering and agony which marked his last years, a 3rd
conversion came and Blaise accomplished a spiritual ascension which brought him
to a sort of sainthood. On the 19th of August, 1662, Blaise Pascal died at the
age of 39... yet his best contributions were just beginning!

In 1670, eight years after his death, Les pensees was published. This
great apologetic, to defend Catholicism against the attack of the
"free-thinkers" and the indifference of the worldly, stands as a
memorial to the deep convictions of this brilliant man.

Les pensees is an eloquent combination of reason, passion and insight
into the human condition. It expresses Pascal's winning personality, profound
intellect and rigorous regard for truth based on geometric reasoning and the
experimental method. Yet it argues his uncompromising conviction that the
certainties of faith are not grasped through reason but through the heart, the
mainspring of love, which submits to revealed truth and engages man in a
relationship with the living God. In the domain of religion, knowledge is
inseparable from love!

In the human mind Pascal recognizes the strict demands for the absolute yet
the need for a living truth. The reason is too weak to achieve the absolute, yet
it is strong enough to prove that "there are an infinite number of things
which surpass it." The human mind recognizes the contradiction of man but
cannot explain it. It is only faith—which is superior to reason—in the
revelation of the living God that can resolve the problems imposed by reason.
Furthermore, reason can grasp revelation as a historical fact surrounded by
certain wonderful events that guarantee its supernatural character.

And this brings us to Pascal's Wager wherein the father of probability theory
(which describes and governs all games of chance) proposed a challenge to
nonbelievers of every age; a last call to conversion.

For those who do not wish to read Les pensees, but would like to
accept his challenge, I have formulated an updated version with very finite
parameters. In the words of Clint Eastwood: "Do you feel lucky?"
Pascal's Wager: An infinite reward warrants a finite wager...

Faith in the living God—as proclaimed by the Catholic Church—is
rational... sound reasoning demands conversion!

If you disagree with this statement I invite you—in the spirit of Blaise
Pascal; mathematician, physicist, philosopher and devout Catholic—to accept
the following challenge. It is finite and uncomplicated. Furthermore, it can be
kept secret from those who, not having the genius of a Blaise Pascal, might find
your acceptance of this challenge to be a cause for laughter and scorn:

For the remainder of this Lenten season and the duration of the Easter
season, ending with the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (May 26):

A) Make a commitment to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each Sunday,
listening for the voice of Christ in this Sacrament of His love... B) Make a
commitment to spend an hour each week with Jesus; really, personally and
substantially Present in the Most Blessed Sacrament; seeking to establish a
personal relationship with our gentle and loving Savior... C) Make a commitment
to utter a few short prayers throughout the course of each day; simply asking
God to reveal Himself and to grant you the grace to accept His infinite love and
submit to His holy will... D) Make a commitment to learn the Catholic answers to
questions which arise. E) Make a commitment to remain open to inspirations of
the Holy Spirit even if it means conversion: If you are a baptized Catholic, you
might be inspired to accept the gift of His infinite mercy and forgiveness in
the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If you are a non-Catholic, you might be
inspired to consider entering the Catholic Church.

It's that simple. If God does not exist you stand to lose nothing by
accepting this wager and believing for the next eight weeks. If He does exist—as
taught by the Catholic Church and Blaise Pascal—you stand to lose everything
by turning it down.

If there ever was such a thing as a "no brainer", this is it!

This challenge is meant to be challenging. It might anger you, trouble your
conscience or give rise to difficulties you have regarding the Catholic Faith. I
invite you to utilize the resources listed, or to contact this apostolate with
questions, comments or concerns.